Kiss of Shadows, A Splash of Blood, and A Wolf on the Run
by Atrix333
Summary: This will be a story concerning my OC, Atrix Erwin. Atrix was accepted into Vampire Academy to be trained to be a guardian. The only thing that no one knows about is that she is a vampire-wolf Hybrid rather than half vampire and half human. She wasn't a Dhampir. This secret must be kept. What would happen if her secret becomes known? I stink at summaries. Pairings: OCxDimitri.
1. Prologue: Flashback

_**I know, I am way behind on the other fanfics I am writing, but…this couldn't wait! I just recently seen the Vampire Academy movie and this idea got stuck to me! :I I don't know what the title was going to be, so that may or may not change. I hope you enjoy this!**_

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All around growls and gunfire could be heard. It resounded throughout the forest. A forest in which a little girl was running through with a frightened look upon her face.

Another set of gunfire was heard, sounding a lot closer than before. The little girl panicked and ran at fast as her legs could carry her. As it so was, she was being chased. Who was chasing her? A group of specialized vampires, trained to hunt.

"We can hear you, little girl! Come out and we won't hurt you!" One of them called out to her. A lie. A lie that was as plain as day. They were shooting at her. She may be little, but at least she knew when a lie was being told. "Come on! Your parents are worried about you, kid!" Another one called.

Another lie. It was her parents who chased her away to begin with. Her own father and mother tried to kill her. How she managed to escape was a mystery in itself. "Don't you wish to see your parents, Atrix?" A third hunter asked, trying to lure the girl out. It didn't work. She didn't even let out a sound of response. She kept running.

When Atrix was certain she had ran far enough, she chose to take a small break in order to catch her breath. She crouched down and rested her head between her knees, a technique she learned to try to calm herself. In this case, it didn't work. Instead, tears rolled down her cheeks.

Atrix Erwin was being hunted down by her own parents. She was called an abomination. She was a vampire-wolf hybrid, a species much despised. No one knew how they came to be as they are born every so often between two pureblooded vampires. When a child is found out to be such a rare creature, they are usually put to death. They are feared.

Atrix was no different. Her parents wanted her dead, and that alone hurt. The girl sobbed as silently as she could. Why her? Why did this have to happen to her?

As she was lost in her thoughts, a hunter found her and pointed his gun at her. A second later, he pulled the tripper. The pain instantly brought her attention to look to see what was causing it. Her arm was bleeding heavily, but the bullet itself wasn't all threatening. The girl covered her head and whimpered.

The hunter smirked and took a knife out of his pocket. Atrix's eyes widened. This was it. This was where she was going to die. She watched as the man pointed his gun at her, about to pull the trigger. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the final blow, except, it never came. Instead, the growls from before were much clearer. When she opened her eyes, she saw a shape attack the hunter. It took her a minute to figure out what it was she was seeing. It was a wolf attacking the hunter.

A quick survey around showed it wasn't just one wolf, but a pack of wolves. Atrix whimpered when two of them cautiously padded up to her. They sniffed her for a while before one gently licked the girl's cheeks. It surprised her. The same wolf bit down on her shirt and begun pulling her forward.

What Atrix didn't know was that the wolves were there to save her from the hunters. They had smelled her scent and had detected the underlay of a wolf pup. While vampires were against the idea of hybrids, wolves were not.

The tugs became more hurried as they made their way through the forest. By the time Atrix believed she was going to pass out from exhaustion, one of the wolves nudged her into a dark cave. When she stepped inside, the sharp scent of damp moss filled her nose. When she looked back towards the entrance, she saw a wolf lift up their head. A deep howl vibrated throughout the entire cave, cutting its way into the night. In an odd way, the sound soothed her.

The howl brought in the other wolf, the one that had attacked the hunter. It was obvious by the size that he was a male, the alpha of the pack. The one who saved her must have been his mate. Cautiously, she looked around the cave, her eyesight improving greatly. During her observation, one of the wolves, the female alpha, nudged her further into the cave. The wolf lead her to a feathery nest.

Within held three sleeping wolf pups. Before Atrix reached them, the adult wolves surrounded her, a look of interest in their eyes. It was only a moment later when the girl felt a strange occurrence happen to her body. She was shifting, changing forms.

After another moment, Atrix had completely transformed into a wolf pup with white fur. Her blue-green eyes were brighter. Panic rushed through her body again, remembering that this was the reason why her family wanted her dead. The female wolf padded towards her and gently licked the pup's snout.

"Do not worry, little one. You are safe here," The wolf spoke softly, motherly. A whimper rose in Atrix's throat. "Shh, you must try and rest while you can," she continued to say. She picked the pup up by the scruff and placed her right next to the other ones. "From this moment on, you are apart of our pack, apart of our family. You will be treated like my daughter," the Alpha padded up to her.

For some reason, she knew she could trust their words. She relaxed and fell fast asleep due to exhaustion setting in. The wolf mother laid down around the small beings, licking them each on the head.

Atrix believed, she felt, she will truly be apart of this family of wolves.

As the weeks went by, Atrix and the other pups grew. It wasn't until two years went by when the next set of hunters came to kill her, and her pack family.

It began like any other afternoon in the forest. Atrix, her brother Khar, and her sisters, Chatima and Kawani, were out play fighting. It was something they had started ever since they were old enough to run. It wasn't long into it when the howl echoed its way to them.

"Father wants us to return. I wonder what's wrong." Chatima wondered aloud. It was Khar who lead them back towards the cave. They didn't have to go far; the other members of the pack had made their way towards them. "Father?"

Fang, the Alpha, looked concerned about something. "Children, it is time for us to find a new home. We are in danger here if we stay any longer," he explained.

Atrix had a bad feeling about this, though she can't figure out why. It was when they were planning on where they would go when the wolf pack was attacked. It wasn't Human hunters, but the vampire hunters from those years ago when she fled from her vampire clan. When she was chased away and dearly killed.

Larka, Fang's mate, instantly nudged Atrix back sharply. "Get out of here!" She growled, her ears pressed against her head. Atrix whimpered. Despite how much she didn't want to leave the she-wolf, or the rest of her wolf family behind, she had hammered it in her nature to not argue with her.

With great effort, she and her three siblings ran for cover as far away as they could. The other three remained behind and fought the hunter, to keep them at bay for as long as they could.

When the three young wolves stopped to take a small break, Atrix decided from that point on to leave her sibling behind. It would be too dangerous, and unlucky, to travel with her; so, with an enormous amount of effort, Atrix pulled herself away. The hybrid ran, and ran, until she couldn't run anymore. By then, she was far away from them.

From this moment on, Atrix was going to travel alone, as both a human and a wolf.


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to Vampire Academy

_**Well, here you people go~ Chapter two may be awhile though, high school graduation is right around the corner, plus I have work. I will keep working on it though~ **_

_**The only thing which belongs to me is Atrix, everything else belongs to Rachel Mead! **_

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Decades had passed before Atrix decided to reach out towards society. A new set of hunters were hot on her heels, and she needed a way to hide. As a result, she was accepted (more like weaseled her way) into St. Vladimir's Vampire Academy. From what she found about the place, it was a school specially made for vampires known as Moroi, and for those known as Dhampirs, or those who are half vampire and half human. Considering she was half vampire and half wolf, she would more likely fit into the Dhampir section.

She wasn't going into this blindly; she had found as much information as she could before she decided to go with the school. She was somewhat aware of what awaited her there. One of which is intense training. The hybrid had already been told she was going to be getting extra practice time. Unless, she passed this combat-like test she was told she would take. It was to see just how much skill she had, and if she had what it took to become a guardian. That, she wasn't too sure of. A guardian?

At this moment, Atrix was walking up towards the gate to the academy. There was a cautiousness in her movement, as if she wasn't too sure on how to approach. Perhaps it was a bad idea to have instantly gone into hiding with so many people. She was used to the quiet wilderness, not interacting with anyone. Regardless, it may as well be safe.

A guardian on duty approached her. "You must be the new student. Please come this way," he instructed. Atrix followed as she was taken to one of the buildings. It took only a few minutes to get to their destination. It was the headmistress's office.

"You must be the new student," the woman stated obviously. Atrix remained quiet, but nodded as a response. "I am Ms. Kirova, the headmistress of this school," she continued. The woman then went into a lecture of what the rules were. The Hybrid only listened to half of what was being said.

When Kirova was finished listing the rules, she went onto the next matter of business. "I was told you had no practice, no training, of becoming a guardian?" She asked. Another nod came from me. "That makes you beyond behind in everything. What makes you believe that you will make it? That you are guardian-ready?" She continued.

The only thing Atrix said in return was, "Why don't you test me and find out?" There must have been some kind of look in her eyes. Kirova was more than ready to agree. She probably believed the newcomer with no experience would lose face, or prove her point. "Then let's begin now," Kirova smiled coldly. Already, Atrix did not like her. She became uneasy, but didn't back away from the challenge. Her wolf nature kicked in. Flight or fight. She chose to fight.

Half an hour later, Atrix was led to some sort of training ground. She surveyed the surrounding area, an escape route instantly forming into her mind. She stored it in the back of her mind, just to be safe. Her attention snapped back into focus when someone spoke to her. "Now, don't worry if you don't do well on this. You haven't had any sort of experience or training. Therefore, this will be mainly hand-to-hand combat." It was an older instructor who had spoken.

Atrix turned her attention forward to where a tall male was waiting. It didn't take long to figure out this was the person who she was going to spare with.

"This is Guardian Belikov, Dimitri Belikov; he will be who you will test with. He is one of our excellent Guardians at this school. If you can hold your own against him, then you have talent to continue training here," the same man said. Atrix blinked and studied the tall man before her. She noted how he had shoulder length brown hair. She couldn't help but find him attractive, though her face didn't show it.

"Let us begin," when he spoke was when she heard the Russian accent. It didn't really have much emotion in it either.

With that, Atrix went to where she was positioned across from Dimitri. Her body tensed with anticipation for an attack. More or less, she had to hold herself back from shifting her form to a wolf. That was something she would need to shake while she's here. Either way, she remained cautious.

Neither one of the made a move, they were studying each other. Atrix had gained patience from over the years, but she figured she would have to make the first move. Therefore, she did.

Atrix sprinted forward suddenly, her speeding increasing despite the short distance. When she came close, she didn't dive in to attack. Instead, she dodged to the left just as Dimitri started to move. He looked a little surprised at it, but said nothing. The movement caused him to change his course of action, his fist moving towards her to land a hit. No impact was made. Atrix had already moved once more when Dimitri had to maneuver his own attack. She swiped his feet from underneath him.

Even though she had to remain in her current form, she did let some wolf instinct push through. Atrix easily saw this as a battle between two alphas, fighting for their rightful position, without the claws and blood that is. The other half of the instinct was to get the opponent into a vulnerable position. That would prove to be a challenge.

Atrix struck her fist out as the guardian fell. It didn't surprise her when her punch didn't hit its mark. Dimitri had easily dodged thanks to his reflexes. He still had the studious look in his eyes.

It wasn't until fifteen minutes later when Dimitri stopped the test from going any further. They both only received a few bruises in the end. His expression showed he was impressed it.

The older guardian from before, now accompanied by a woman who appeared to be in her fifties, came up. "You held your own really well against him. You passed," he told her. "What do you think, Alberta?" He asked, turning his attention to the female guardian.

"She'd make a fine addition as a guardian. With a little more practice, and learning what it is to be a guardian, she could be one of the best, Stan," Alberta said, looking at Atrix with mild interest. "Your training will be under Dimitri. They start tomorrow," she added before going off somewhere.

With that, Atrix was led to the novice's dorm, where the Dhampirs in training were housed, to get settled in. Minus her having no knowledge on what a Guardian does, she hoped this place could also be a place to stay hidden. That is, as long as her secret stays hidden.


	3. Chapter 2: Learning the Basics

_**Allow me to apologize for the very long wait. I got so distracted with everything, and ended up losing my muse for writing; however, I have finally regained it. :D I hope you all like this chapter! **_

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They wasted no time in getting to the training. Kirova had made the decision not to place Atrix into a regular class schedule, but one solely based on training. From what she could tell, she would be training for not only most of the day, but with a couple of different guardians.

As she sat down to eat breakfast, she studied the schedule.

At 8am was when she would be in a small lesson-like class about Moroi and Dhampir society, including how the Strigoi fit in. An hour and a half later was when her first dose of training would begin. The first training would be with Alberta. When that half of training is over, she would be given a lunch break, but right after was when the last half of the day's training would take place. This one would be with Dimitri.

"Hm...," Atrix rested her cheek on her hand. She wasn't exactly too sure on what to think about any of this. She wasn't used to thinking there were different kinds of vampires except those of her own kind. Well, half her kind.

In all of this, she was going to have to be careful. Unlike the Dhampirs, she did need blood, though that could easily be suppressed. The most she could go without it would probably be two to three months. Unless for some unknown reason, she was injured. Of course, that would be avoided as much as possible.

Atrix finished her breakfast and left to head off to the lesson. Fortunately, the room was fairly easy to find. Being a few minutes early, she went ahead and sat down in what she hoped was an empty seat. When class was said to begin, there only happened to be no one else but her and the teacher in the room. It was then when the idea occurred to her that this was an intensive class for her especially.

The lesson was somewhat interesting and somewhat boring. Interesting since she was learning things she never knew about a species she has never heard about, but boring considering she was still a young adult who would prefer doing something else.

Being told Moroi were to come first and must always be protected made her believe they were rather lazy for their kind. She did not voice that thought however. Strigoi were evil beings who lust to kill and drink Moroi blood above all else. Dhampirs were needed in order to protect the Moroi from being victims.

Once when the lesson was done, she stretched and made her way to the training grounds for the first half of the training. Which was actually welcomed to the inactiveness the class setting gave. Now was a chance for some exercise.

As it was, for the next hour, she was directed to run here and there, catch some random weighted items, and a few more drills. All those were probably to see what it was she lacked in, though by Alberta's expression, there wasn't much to it.

"You are good at this, and your stamina is excellent," The Guardian praised as they were finished. "I honestly don't see any need for me to help you. After a week, I believe training with just Dimitri would be sufficient," she added afterwards.

After that, the training ended, leaving Atrix to escape to eat lunch. When she grabbed her tray of cafeteria food, she made her way to a quiet spot outside. To her luck, no one would bother her.

Her luck paid out. While passerby's gave her odd looks, none of them paid her much attention, or approached her for that matter. Half an hour after finishing her sandwich, the hybrid headed to where the last set of training was to be held.

Dimitri was already there; ready some sort of paperback novel. He looked up when he heard the door open. "You're early," he stated with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"So I am. People were staring, so I decided to just head here," Atrix responded pointedly. The reason seemed fine for the Guardian, and he set aside his book. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a western novel. Heh.

"We will begin in a few minutes. If you will, please stretch out your muscles," Dimitri instructed the Russian accent present. Without much complaint, she did as she was told to do. Stretching out her arms, legs, and even her stomach. It actually felt pretty nice to her.

It was a few minutes after when the training took place. Being called over to take a stance, she did exactly that. "While I may have fought you, I believe you were holding back. If that's so, what else can you do?" Dimitri asked.

'Well, being as I am a vampire-wolf hybrid, I can do quite a number of things,' That was what Atrix wanted to answer, but knew that would get her either suspicion or much worse. "Hm.. I suppose I don't really know my full extent. I can just fight, and defend when necessary," she answered with instead. Well, the last portion was true. "I suppose I was born street-wised," she added with a shrug.

"Street-wise? I have never met anyone go could fight with such skills just by living in the street," he spoke. By those words, the hybrid could not help but wonder if he was suspicious of her. Of course, that wasn't completely unexpected if that was the case. Whether or not it was, she couldn't tell.

For the next couple of hours, Dimitri had evaluated her on certain skills. More or less, it seemed to her as though he wanted to see just how much stamina she had, which was a lot. After only two hours did she show any signs of fatigue.

"That's enough for today," Dimitri said, nodding his head towards a corner, "Go cool your muscles down, then you can go and relax."

It took her a moment to figure out how to cool down her muscles, but once when she was done, she left. As she walked back to the dorm, her stomach growled. Wonderful. She was going to just eat dinner in the cafeteria, but decided not to. She didn't exactly want people staring at her anymore that day. She'll just have to wait until tomorrow to eat.

Getting to her room, she collapsed on her bed. She groaned when she realized she needed to still take a shower and change her clothes, which she did too after talking herself into it.

Now in pajamas, she laid out on her bed and rested one of her arms over her eyes. With her eyes closed, we hearing increased. Outside, she could hear a light breeze passing by through the trees, and some animals scurrying to get food or whatnot. Eventually, Atrix feel into a light sleep.

The same routine went on for about a week, when Alberta, as she said, decided to let Dimitri take over. Which in return gave her another hour in a classroom and another hour with Dimitri.

The class was fine and ended like how it always did. It wasn't until after lunch when everything changed. While she had made herself believe she was safe here at St, Vladimir's, she could have never been more wrong.

The training session started off how it usually did. Warm ups for the muscles. Despite the constant clashing of training with the Guardian, she felt more relaxed than when she came here. Of course, that changed when someone unexpected made an appearance.

An icy feeling spread through her veins as a voice rang out into the room. "My, my, if it isn't Atrix." Turning around, Atrix's blue-green eyes met with crystal-blue eyes. Eyes that were laughing at her and saying 'Ha, I finally found you! You are finally caught! There is no running away now!'

"Ichida...," Atrix growled.


	4. Chapter 3: Unwelcome Company

_**I apologize for this late chapter update, but I had so much going on. My mom passed away Aug. 30th from colon cancer. /3 Cancer is a bitch. ;~; Anyway, I hope you all will enjoy this chapter! **_

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"Ichida..." Atrix growled.

"No need for hospitality, but is that really any way to treat your HALF-sister?" Ichida asked, a hidden venom laced in, and a smirk obvious in her eyes.

Atrix knew her words were to get some sort of reaction from her. She wasn't going to give it to her. Therefore, she remained silent, though a glare brightened its way to her sister.

"What's going on here? Training?" The newcomer sneered. "Of course, I can believe you are only HALF as good as anyone else here," Ichida added. By those words, it was apparent she hadn't come alone. She had her protection. She was also mocking her for being a hybrid.

At this time, Dimitri, who had been standing a ways away, finally approached and spoke up. "That is quite the opposite. She has amazing skill," he commented. While he didn't seem to know exactly what was going on, he had sensed the unwelcome feeling in the room.

Ichida glanced over at the Russian Guardian and gave him a lopsided smile. "And who are you?" Dimitri gave a small bow of introduction before asking his own series of questions.

"Moroi are restricted from entering here, so if I may not be so rude, may I ask why you are here?" Dimitri asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Atrix remained where she was, her eyes focused on her sister.

"I merely came to greet my sister," she answered sweetly, and as innocently, as she could. This caused Atrix to roll her eyes. Dimitri lifted an eyebrow but refrained from saying anything.

Someone else came into the gym and bounced in front of Ichida to grab her attention. "Miss! This isn't a place for you to be!" It hissed aloud. From what she could tell, it was someone who served her sister. His eyes darted over to Atrix, where a nasty glare sparked at the sight of her. It motivated the servant to usher the vampire out even faster.

"Oh, you're no fun, Howard!" Ichida whined, "I just wanted to greet the sister I haven't seen in such a very long time." While she pouted, she obeyed the push and left without not much more of a fuss.

After a few minutes passed, Dimitri crossed his muscled arms across his chest and looked at Atrix. He asked the question he has been wanting to ask. "What was that about?"

Atrix decided to feign arrogance as answered with, "What was what about?" Her outer appearance was well under control, though her inner feeling was flaring and churning with anger and fear.

It was clear that the male wanted to press further for answers, but knew not to press for them right then. Instead, he beckoned her to follow him to a side room. The room held practice dummies of various sizes.

"I had something else planned, but this should do. I want to see just how much strength you possess. Please, do not hold back either. If it helps, just think of letting any frustration or anger leak out," The Guardian instructed as he leaned against the doorway.

She was going to have to hold some of her strength back. She'll put a lot into it, but not enough for suspicion to raise. Though, the thought of letting her frustration out was tempting, she needed to be careful. Especially now that her so-called sister was here. There was no doubt her biological parents will soon find out she was staying here at the academy, but luckily, they couldn't do anything publicly about it.

With a heavy sigh, she dashed forward and lifted her hand up into a fist. Using only 3/4 of her strength, she landed a harsh blow against the first dummy. Indeed, it did feel good.

Atrix continued to punch and kick the dummies with the same exact power for the next half hour. A bemused look was on Dimitri's face, but he kept whatever comment to himself.

"Unfortunately, our training had to be cut down some due to the little interruption," Dimitri said as they both cooled down once when the other exercises were over. "We'll continue tomorrow," he added as his deep brown eyes watched her.

Atrix sighed. "Can't be helped, I guess. As long as it doesn't happen again. Or else, I'll really take my anger out on her," she muttered before walking away. She didn't get too far when a hand grabbed onto her wrist, pulling her to a stop. Looking back, she saw Dimitri had stopped her.

"I could tell that the atmosphere between you and your... Half-sister is not good, but what exactly happened?" He asked with genuine concern.

As sweet as that may be, it was a question she couldn't answer. "It doesn't concern you...," she said feebly instead before pulling her arm away and walking as fast as she could back to her room in the Dhampir dorm. Even as she passed, she heard the dreadful whispers already start to circulate. Great. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours yet, and already Ichida had spread rumors about her. Good thing she already planned to not make friends.

She spent the rest of the free time she had left in her room, away from any activity. Sighing, she spread herself out on her bed. Oh, how tired she was. Her stomach growled in protest. Again, she was going to bed without food. Though, her hunger soon passed.

Turning her head, she peered out of the window. The sun was beginning to rise, and no doubt, the Moroi were going to bed, same with the other Dhampirs, of course. Scooting to where she laid in the center of the bed, she closed her eyes.

When she opened them, moonlight was beginning to shine into the room. Gently rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and blinked. Glancing over at a clock she had, she saw the time displayed in bright red lights. Ten PM. Realization struck a chord through her body as she jumped up and rushed to put her clothes on. Her first class had started a while ago... Or did it? She couldn't remember if she was the only one in that special class or not.

Sighing, she decided it wasn't worth going now. There wasn't much time left of it anyway. The hybrid made her way out of her room, out of the dorm, and towards the gym. That is, until a hand with gleaming fingernails grabbed her shoulder and made her stopped in her tracks.

As she spun around, ready to lash out a comment, she had to hold herself back from doing anything bad. She had expected her sister to be there, but instead it was a group of girls she didn't even know.

"Hey, Ichida told us you are her half-sister," one would have assumed the girl was trying to make conversation, and it would have worked if her voice didn't have a snarky ring to it.

"So?" Atrix responded indifferently. She could already feel what was going to happen here.

"So, wouldn't that make your mom a Dhampir whore?" The girl asked, causing the rest of their small group to do the same. This actually caused Atrix to also laugh. Oh, if they only knew.

"I suppose so," the hybrid answered with a knowing grin before walking away from the stunned group of girls. They had unknowingly called Ichida's mom a whore. It would have been priceless to see the looks on their face if they knew that little fact. That secret must held though.

Atrix was relieved to have made it to the gym without anything further happening to her. It wasn't as though she felt humiliated; she just really hates crowds who pick on someone who appears inferior to them.

"Psh," The female grunted as she entered the gym and sat crossed legged on the floor, facing towards the door. There was twenty minutes remaining before the scheduled training took place. Closing her eyes, she stretched her body down onto the ground.

She must have dozed off not too long after. Atrix felt herself jolt awake as the reflex to dodge burned strongly in her mind. In instinct, she rolled to the side before a supposed attack could reach her. She crouched in an animal-like way, her teeth bared as though she was snarling, or baring her teeth.

"How unusual," the Russian accented voice echoed around the room. "How unexpected," the male added. Seeing that her alleged attack was her mentor, she let out a frustrated groan. She let out a small uncomfortable cough as she stood up and straightened her clothes.

"Give someone a heart attack, why don't you?" Atrix hadn't relaxed her muscles; she was still clearly on her guard.

"I suppose... You could say I wanted to test on whether you were asleep or not. From your breathing, you were, yet your guard remained turned on. That is a good skill to have," Dimitri responded steadily. Something told her that wasn't all he wanted to say, yet she knew by now that he wasn't going to speak his mind. His eyes or expression won't give anything away either.

When Atrix didn't say anything in return, they begun that day's training. Running and even fist sparing. The Guardian even got her to practice half an hour with a silver stake.

Thanks to the strength from both the vampire and wolf parts of her, piercing the practice dummies was quite an easy feat. Dimitri was amused by the progress; it was rare to see someone who has never been trained before, so easily grasping Guardian training.

When the day's training was over, the hybrid was about to leave when Dimitri called out to her. She turned her head to look at him.

"There will be another novice joining us for our training session tomorrow. I would like to see how well you-or her-can spare with each other," the male announced.

With that, the hybrid left waving her hand in understanding. Her stomach was beginning to growl. She needed to eat tonight. Surely, there are animals on campus, right?

Luckily, no one was expecting her to appear in the cafeteria to din. She headed towards the Dhampir dorms at first, making sure no was around when she ventured into the woods.

Once when she was safely hidden behind the trees, she easily shifted into her wolf skin. 'Oh, how wonderful it felt to be in this form after so long,' the she-wolf thought. She'd howl in joy if it weren't for the fact she needed to remain unseen.

Her white ears perked forward as the sound of rustling of leaves on the ground, and the scent in the air, revealed a deer was nearby. Saliva filled her mouth as she prowled towards it. Finally, her hunger will be filled, and her thrust for blood quenched.

Let the hunting begin!


	5. Chapter 4: Predator of Prey

_**I apologized for not updating this story for such a long time. *^* I haven't forgotten about it, I swear! I have been busy, as well as writing more of another fanfic of mine. **_

**_So, here is the new chapter, I hope everyone likes it! Please leave a review! _**

**_And... Is there anything you folks would like to see happen? It won't affect the actual plot in anyway, but it's be nice to get some ideas you guys would like to read happen._**

**_Enjoy~ _**

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Atrix was running her way through the trees and bushes, taking chase after the deer, which had heard her when she had accidentally stepped on an unseen twig. The white she-wolf found it no trouble at all as she wound her way through.

When an opening cleared, Atrix took the chance to sprint and lunge towards the deer. Kicking her hind legs out, she sprung with a strong enough force to knock the animal off balance long enough for her quickly bite down on its neck, snapping it between her jaws.

Her blue-green eyes glittered in whatever light shone through the trees. If only she could howl in her victory, but the fact still remains; she needed to keep her secret safe.

Atrix finished her meal before burying whatever meat was left. Might as well save it for the next time, right? Once when that job was finished, she changed back to her human form, taking care to stay in the shadows of the trees. Breaking away from the woods, she sprinted to the Dhampir dorms. Luckily, she made it to her room without any incident occurring.

The hybrid changed into some nightclothes before diving her way into bed. As she drifted easily off to sleep, she recalled the knowledge of another person joining in on the training tomorrow. She just hopes they'll get along well enough. Oh well, that can be thought of tomorrow. Right now, it is time to sleep.

The next 'morning' came a little too early for Atrix's taste; then again, she can't complain. Hunting had taken quite a lot of her time, which shortened her sleeping hours, but the meal was much needed. She yawned as she walked out of the dorm, stepping into the night air.

The temperature was chilly, but not unbearable. It felt quite nice against her warm skin. Her tiredness lifted as a smile tugged at her lips.

Of course, that smile didn't last long when she saw her sister walking her way, a devious smile spreading. When Ichida was close enough, she stated something she knew Atrix wouldn't like. "Mother and Father are coming later tonight~ I'm sure they'd be glad to see their long lost daughter again."

Atrix seethed at the thought of her biological parents making an appearance at St. Vladimir's. The last thing she wanted was for a scene to happen, in where she would be stuck with whatever the blame would be. She managed to keep her discomfort out of her expression, placing a questionable look in its stead. It would be a better idea to keep her mouth shut rather than speak her mind; however, she couldn't help but try to make some sort of comeback.

As she begun to open her mouth, another voice-one she wasn't familiar with-spoke up. "What would your parents think about you bashing out on others? Wouldn't that reflect bad on you and your family?"

Atrix turned her head to see a girl who was about the same height as her, with long, dark brown hair and eyes. The stranger rested a hand on her hip. She would be lying to say she wasn't shocked by this sudden turn of events.

Ichida's cheeks reddened in either embarrassment or anger, maybe even both. It made the Hybrid bemused, that's for sure.

"Tha- I-," It was obvious; for once her sister was at a loss for words. She hadn't expected someone to suddenly stand up to her. It was definitely something she wasn't used to. "That is none of your business!" The vampire angrily shrieked, "How dare you!"

The response only irked the girl further. "How dare I? Last time I checked, you aren't a royal. Yet, you're acting like you are high and mighty," she spoke with a sly smile on her face.

Atrix really didn't like where this was going. Yes, she had wanted to make a retort back, but she had not wanted to push her sister's buttons this badly. The hybrid frowned and tried to intervene. "Hey," She begun in a harsh whisper, drawing close enough to the girl to where they couldn't be heard too clearly. "I am thankful for your help; however, I would like to ask you to back off... For now. If you continue... Well... Let's just say something bad will be coming my way." The Hybrid's blue-green eyes shone in the moonlight, a wary edge reflecting off them.

To her fortune, the female reluctantly complied. She had taken a few steps back, casting a look at Atrix that says for her to follow. Ichida was too self-absorbed in her fuming to even notice to two females slipping away.

"Not to be rude, or anything, but who are you?" Atrix asked the moment they had found a secured area. From what she could make out, they were fairly close to one of the school buildings.

"Rose Hathaway. You?" The girl named Rose answered curtly, eyeing the hybrid.

"Atrix...," She answered back even more simply in return.

"Soooo, what exactly did I save you from? Some sort of quarrel?" Rose asked, curious about it. She had hopped into the scene after having felt the heavy atmosphere.

"I... Guess you can say that," Atrix answered, glancing slightly away. She couldn't just say her sister was harassing her about being a vampire-wolf hybrid, now could she?

Rose studied Atrix, as though trying to see through her. Not really working out that way. "Well, don't let that bitch bother you. She's all bark with no bite," the girl concluded with a small smile.

Atrix smiled slightly in return. While it was true, her sister did have their parents on her side. It was the hybrid who had been disowned. Though, she couldn't really explain why it wasn't affecting her biological parents. Shouldn't it have humiliated them?

"Well, I must be going now. I have a schedule training period I can't miss," Atrix said as she checked the time. Time had moved quickly while they had been speaking. If she didn't go now, she'd be rather late.

"Really? I do too. Who's mentoring you?" Rose asked curiously.

"Guardian Belikov," Atrix answered as she turned towards the direction of the gym. A hand suddenly grabbed ahold of her, halting her as she was about to take a step forward.

Rose had grabbed her. "I don't suppose you'd like to walk together to the gym?" The girl asked.

Oh, so this was the other trainee that was to join in on the training starting today. Well, she was glad their first meeting had gone smoothly. Things could have been worse, a lot worse.

Dimitri had long been waiting for both of his students to come in. It was odd to find Atrix late, but he had already figured Rose would be. "I should have known," he spoken aloud as both women walked into the gym together. Well, that explains why Atrix was late. Not much more was needed on that.

"Good. This saves us from having to do introductions," Dimitri said, his arms crossed as the two approached him. He wasn't going to bother asking them the reason they were late, as he figured it was something private. "Get warmed up," he added at the end.

Warms ups went well; it was when the actual training begin when things got a little interesting.

"In order for me to know where your training should begin, I would like to evaluate your level of skills," Dimitri said as he paced in front of them. "Why not just get straight to the training instead?" Rose asked, her impatience was apparent. The Guardian stopped and looked at Rose as he replied. "Just as I said, your skills need to be evaluated in order for me to get started on a training regime."

"I'm positive I'm skilled enough to begin at the harder training," she retorted readily.

Dimitri shook his head at her; however, he wasn't about to argue with her about this. Instead, his brown eyes turned towards Atrix, who had remained silent as she waited for her instructions. "Then beat Atrix in a small match," he said as his gaze returned to the other girl.

The hybrid was more surprised than Rose was at these words, though the other bounced back with a deep eagerness. "It's on!" Rose turned towards me. "I won't be going easy," she smirked, over confidently might she add. Atrix, however, wasn't into that idea in the least, but she couldn't say no either. As a result, she remained silent.

Dimitri moved out of the way to a safe distance, but close enough in case he needed to interfere.

Rose made the first move, rushing towards her. Atrix easily moved out of the way. The other trainee instantly kicked out, trying to knock the other off her feet. The hybrid met her swipe with her own leg. Rose use their closeness to raise her fist.

"You left yourself wide open," Atrix said and she turning her body quickly and drawing her knees upwards. The move hit the girl right on the stomach, sending her backwards.

"You can't speak back to your sister, but you are this strong? Why don't you just give her the punch she deserves?" Rose asked with interest as well as frustration.

Atrix didn't answer right away. When she did, her words came out slow. "Punching a Moroi? I think not," she said in a mockery of shock.

Rose saw right through it. "You'd get away with it if you say it's just a sibling quarrel," She muttered.

Before Atrix replied, Dimitri stepped in. "Enough of this. You're supposed to be fighting, not talking," his Russian accent came off thick this time around. "We're stopping here for today," he decided after a moment's consideration. "Rose, you're training will begin tomorrow. Atrix, remain here. I would like to talk to you about something." With that, class was finished for the night.

-―-―-―-

With Rose gone, Atrix was left alone with Dimitri. The two walked out of the gym and went to a more secure location. Their new location was an office of some sort.

The hybrid looked at her mentor expectantly, waiting for whatever it was he had to say. Dimitri motioned for her to sit. "Your sister and father wishes to speak to you," he explained simply as he also took a seat.

Those weren't words she wanted to hear. She couldn't stop the look of horror from momentarily washing its way through her eyes. Dimitri's ever sharp vision managed to catch the look before it vanished. "Atrix?" He questioned just as the door to the room opened.

Atrix stood immediately as her sister stepped into the room. Her biological father followed right after. When his eyes met her's, a cruel gleam reflected towards her.

"Atrix... There will be no more escaping this time around," The man whispered in a hardened voice.

Atrix's blood went cold.


	6. Chapter 5: Confrontation

**I am so sorry for this year wait of an update of this fanfic. I had been so busy, and I will continue to be so. I haven't forgotten about it. I really do want to continue and finish it, but It will be slow. I will try my hardest to make the wait worth it though. So, I hope this is a good chapter to read for you all! Please enjoy. ^^**

* * *

"What? No hug?" Atrix's father asked with mock hurt in his voice. There was a harsh gleam in his crystal eyes as he spoke. The atmosphere within the room was tense, giving no room for ease.

Atrix had no kind words to say, and she kept in mind that this was not the place to say them. She kept her mouth shut as the result. Dimitri was more than aware that this was not a happy reunion, though he too remained quiet, watching the scene before him, doing his best to get the big picture.

Ichida had another idea, however. The female vampire approached Atrix and stopped right in front of her. Her crystal clear eyes peered straight into the other's, her smugness showing quite clearly. "I say, you're being pretty disrespectful to our father right now, don't you think?" The female questioned, a light smirk present. There wasn't much to say, but that was certainly not a good sign. Ichida was trying to start something.

Atrix knew it. She knew it and knew it was up to her to not take the bait. The hybrid wasn't going to say anything. Silence was going to be the key in getting out of this. While things weren't completely in her favor, her biological family couldn't harm her here. The Academy wouldn't allow it. Or that was what she wanted to believe. If anything, she could always run once more.

The sister gave a pout when her words received no reaction. Her gaze turned towards Dimitri, a hotness in them that even Atrix could recognize as desire. Whether the Guardian noticed, he didn't give it away. Actually, he wasn't even directly looking at any of them. Having received training, Atrix knew he was listening, and watching through his peripheral vision. If she were to be honest with herself, she felt a bit of relief and rather safe, even if it wasn't completely. It was better than anything she had considered as such before.

"I would have expected more things out of you, Young Lady," Her father's words were dipped in venom that only she could hear. To any other person, it would have just been a disappointed indication. Atrix watched as he gracefully looked at his pocket watch, a grim expression spreading over his festers as he turned towards the door. "I plan on talking to you later, for now... I expect you to behave," he finished speaking as he reached the door. Ichida followed after him, casting her sister a momentary glare.

The moment the door closed, the breath Atrix had been holding in was released all that once. Her shoulders slumping in the same relief. The threat wasn't over, but it had passed for now. Except for another obstacle to arrive.

"What happened there?" Dimitri's voice pierced through her bubble of thought. She raised her blue-green eyes to look into his brown ones. She couldn't tell him. Not yet, or not ever.

"It would be better if you didn't know," The female hybrid responded in a hushed tone, one that says not to ask any further questions. This would concern Dimitri, yet he would oblige for the time being at her request. "Fine." He kept his arms crossed.

Atrix lowered her eyes before taking her leave. Her mentor's voice called out from behind her. "I'm on your side, Atrix. Don't forget that," he spoke with a certain tone the female had t heard before. One she couldn't place her finger on. To show she had heard, she gave a short nod before heading out.

Atrix's footsteps purposely landed on the leaves, creating the favorable crunch it gave off. It was a means of a distraction from that day's event. When she was in a middle of a step, she felt a powerful smack hit her back.

"Why the long face?" The hand belonged to Rose. The strength didn't surprise her, seeing how well matched the two are in a practice match. Seeing her new found friend caused a small smile to tug at her lips.

"It's nothing to be concerned about. I guess you could say that I was scolded?" Atrix answered as vaguely as possible. She may see Rose as a friend, yet that didn't mean she felt comfortable sharing her secrets with the other.

"Scolded? For what? Attending classes on time?" Rose snorted at the hybrid's words. The girl shook her head, mystified at that possible reason. "I wouldn't worry. I've seen worse," she added before getting to a whole new topic in general. "Say, are you free tonight- I mean this morning, I should say?"

"I would say I mean... Why?" Atrix answered curiously to the other girl's question. The only plan she had going on was to do go to bed early as she always does.

"Good, because you're going to be my 'date' to the party later," Rose smirked at her own choice of words. Atrix was anything but pleased. "A party?" Her voice held a tinge of hardness to them, much of which Rose didn't pick up on.

"Yes, a party." She confirmed. "A party which will begin in a couple of hours, so we should get back to our dorm rooms and prepare for the fun that is to come!" Rose smiled as she wrapped an arm around the hybrid's shoulders. It was as though it was a means to not allow her to escape and evade it all together.

With no choice but to go along, Atrix mumbled a "Fine. Just for a little bit."

During the two hours they had to get ready, Rose was amused in a way at how there was a woman out there that didn't know what it was like being a girl for a day. "When was the last time you wore a dress?" The girl asked bluntly. Atrix, however, casted her eyes away from her. "I don't recall," she mumbled.

Rose shook her head in displeasure. "That is going to have to change for tonight," the guardian in training murmured, her brown eyes observing the other, thinking of any possibly combinations to set the hybrid in. The thought of wearing a dress peeved Atrix, but it was also something she couldn't fight. The look the other female wore on her face stopped her from it.

After digging through what would appear to be a ton of clothes combinations, a mixture of dressed and skirts; Rose smirked in triumph. Holding the dress up against the Hybrid's body, she forced it into Atrix's hands. "Go try this on," Rose said as she gently nudged her towards the door of the bathroom.

Reluctantly, Atrix gripped the fabric in her hands and went to change. A heavy sigh escaped her throat as she took off her current apparel and put on the dress. A choked squeak came out of her mouth in surprise. It was hard to tell if it was a good or bad thing. One thing that was for sure, the dress was something she would never wear ever again. It revealed far too much skin for her taste. Yet, even she couldn't deny how well it fit her.

The color of the dress was a very dark blue. It had straps going over the shoulders, and the neckline slightly dipped towards her cleavage, yet not exactly reaching it. The back and a zipper running up the middle, surrounded with an elaborate design of its own. The design wrapped around to the front, lacing black throughout the material. While that may not show from a distance, up close, it really revealed a lot about the design.

A small blush heated her cheeks as she opened the bathroom door, to appear in front of a too pleased Rose.

"That looks far more appealing than I had though. Damn, I'm good!" Rose grinned as she spoke. "Now onto accessories and hair," she moved onto the next part. It didn't take too long for Rose to pick out a necklace and style Atrix's hair, which was the only thing Rose could think to do with short hair. Regardless, she still took pride in how well Atrix was looking. The last touch she made on the female was a dab of lip-gloss. "You're going to blow everyone out of the water," Rose remarked. It was her turn now.

An hour passed by the time Rose finished getting ready. It was by that time when the party had started.

The closer Atrix got to the party, the more her nerves started to eat at her. This was her first party. So many things could go wrong, or at least that was what she believed in her mind. Not being able to voice any of her thoughts, Atrix simply trailed behind Rose as she led the way. Her friend wasted no time and barged her way through the already crowded room, making sure Atrix was following along.

From what Atrix could tell, her friend was leading them to a table that was covered with bowls of a variety of drinks and several plates of different kinds of finger foods. Food from the get go? The Hybrid pondered before realizing it was a drink Rose was after. She watched as the young woman poured two plastic cups with the same beverage. Rose handed one to her and took a huge gulp of the contents. Atrix cautiously sniffed the liquid, taking in a strong scent. It had been spiked. Not exactly surprising when the room was filled with teenagers, many of which were close to adulthood. Even with her lack of being around too many of them, she knew how many get in this kind of trouble.

Under the watchful eyes of Rose, she took a sip of the alcohol-tainted punch. The taste was just as sharp as the smell. The first few sips hit the female's throat hard. By the fourth, it wasn't as bad.

A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her towards a sea of dancing bodies. Dancing was another thing Atrix didn't know about. That didn't seem to stop the ones surrounding her to help get her to dance. The strange part was how it didn't seemed to have been Rose who has pulled her onto the dance floor. Who had?

"Here!" A cold cup was thrust into her hand. Atrix's blue-green eyes clashed against the crystal blue of her sister's. The atmosphere shifted from harmless fun to a heavy and unsteady one. Only a few others seemed to have sensed the tension between the two.

Ichida smiled in a sickly sweet way. "You looked as though you were having a blast, so I did the honor of personally pouring and bringing you a drink. It'll refreshed you up again!" She said as she made a motion towards the cup. Some of the Dhampirs turned their heads toward them.

Atrix's jaw clenched at her sister's words. Instantly, warning bells went off in her head. Accepting a drink from her was like a death wish. A dreadful feeling swept through her, suggesting she wouldn't be as to get away from this.

"Come on, take a sip~!" Ichida urged her. Atrix looked towards someone, anyone, for help. There were a few other Moroi present, each were surrounded by their own group of Dhampirs. Not a single one was going to help her. Most of the Moroi really were treated like royalty. It didn't look good for her. This leads her to ask 'Where was Rose?' Though, she wouldn't put it beside her to be with a guy. Atrix was alone for this.

Having no choice, the female Hybrid brought the cup to her lips and let the cool liquid wash over her tongue. Not only was the drink spiked, it had the taste of something else that didn't belong in the blend. Atrix just didn't know what. In the corner of her eye, Ichida smiled wickedly. What was going to happen to her? So far, nothing was changing; but it was just the beginning. Her sister mentioned checking on her later and disappeared into the mass of bodies.

Sometime later, Atrix started to feel dizzy and out of breath. It would appear to be the effects of what Ichida had given her. The nausea increased to where she went outside. The chilled air felt nice on her burning skin. It didn't make the sick feeling go away, but at least it felt nice. Until that dreadful voice announced itself again.

"It's about time!" Ichida giggled from behind her. Atrix really wasn't in the mood to deal with her antics. As a result, she allowed herself to show it. Her eyes brightened with anger. "Leave me alone," Atrix muttered.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you," Ichida mocked. She had heard her perfectly clear. All vampires had good hearing.

"I said... Leave me alone!" Atrix's words came out as a growl, her glare set on the other female.

"Not that it matters. Do anything to me and you will get into so much trouble. Not just with the school, but with dad too," Ichida responded, a small shrug shaking her shoulders. She really believed the Hybrid couldn't harm her. Truth be told, she could. She just didn't want to cause trouble or possibly bloodshed; however, with her mind clouded, and the nausea getting to her, her mindful judgement was affected as a result.

A fiery anger flashed through Atrix. "No more...," she cried out as she crouched down. The position she got into was nothing short of an animal. It wasn't a perfect image, but it was clear on what it was. A predator getting ready to pounce on its targeted prey. She watched as Ichida faltered for a moment before resuming her arrogant take on the situation. "Attack me and I'll make sure you aren't going to be able to graduate. However, I doubt anyone would hire you anyway. Even mother and father didn't want you, after all." It was those final words that for to the Hybrid to snap.

Atrix lunged at Ichida, who helped in surprise. With her fangs drawn out. She really did look like a beast. A loud growl sounded deeply from her throat. A voice whispering in the back of her mind was the only thing that was preventing her from making the final leap to transition into her wolf skin. That didn't stop the aggression from going rampant.

Atrix had easily toppled the other girl over, making her land on her back with the air being knocked out of her. She didn't take much time to recover, her eyes reflect the fear she was feeling now. It didn't stop her from letting out a loud scream either. Someone must have been close, as shouts aimed their way.

Atrix wasn't finished. She grabbed ahold of the front of her sister's dress and yanked her closer. "It's your fault!" the female angrily cried. The dress Rose had helped her choose was ripped along the seams, revealing more skin. At this moment, she didn't care. All of her unexpressed anger was directed at Ichida. The mixture that was traveling through her veins was creating a chemical reaction.

Just as Atrix was about to punch her now terrified sister, an arm circled around her wrist and forcefully yanked the angered girl off of the other. Stuck in this blind rage, Atrix squirmed and struggled to get away. "Let me go!" She cried.

It was when someone's arm reached out in front of her, an attempt to use it as a means of restraint, just like with their other arm, the Hybrid bit down hard. Her exposed fangs sinking into the skin that was available. The sudden taste of blood resulted Atrix to jolt. Her body stiffened as she heard a familiar voice speak her name.

"Atrix." It belonged to Dimitri, and judging from how close it was, it must be his arm that was holding her back, as well as the owner of the arm who she had bitten. The blood in her veins went cold. Her eyes directed to where her sister had been, a spot that was now vacant. During the distraction, they must have moved Ichida somewhere else. Due to the blood filling her mouth, Atrix swallowed before she released her grip on the male's arm. What was she supposed to do now? How should she react? How could she even explain herself without letting her secret known? A silent panic took ahold of her. Pressing her lips into a thin line, her blue-green eyes met with Dimitri's concerned brown ones.

No words were spoken as the guardian gently guided her away from the scene. Atrix had done something that was frowned upon here at the academy. She knew she will be getting in trouble regardless of what she say. Not that it mattered, no words came out anyway.

Several minutes went by before Dimitri led her to an unfamiliar room. A bedroom was the only guess the female could manage, seeing how there was a bed in the room.

When they were both inside, Dimitri closed the door, suggesting for her to take a seat. Atrix took a seat on the bed, the only place available, besides the floor. She had castes her wary eyes down towards the ground. The male took his time in taking a seat in front of her, having had grabbed a chair from a place she hadn't seen.

"Atrix," Dimitri's Russian accent filled the room. He didn't sound angry. His voice has a gentle, yet stern edge to it. When she kept her gaze down, his hand reached up and cupped her chin. "Atrix," he called again as he raised her head up to make her look at him. When he had her attention, he continued onto his next set of words.

"What happened? That wasn't like you," Dimitri asked in the same tone be used to call her name.

Atrix's eyes reflected sadness. None of that anger from just a handful of minutes ago was there anymore. "I..," the words wouldn't come out easily. The male noticed this and moved his hand down to her bare knee. Both were too concerned about different things to notice much of anything else.

"You can trust me," He coaxed softly. Interesting how someone who was so stern and serious, as well as didn't often show emotion, could be so gentle.

Looking deeply into Dimitri's eyes, Atrix decided to tell him everything.


End file.
